The training course which was jointly developed by the UNITAR Peacekeeping Training Programme and 4Change, is part of the initiative “Enhancing the Capacity of African Peacekeeping Training Institutions”, which aims to strengthen the capacity on African training institutions, by providing their trainers with the knowledge and skills to implement high-quality training programmes in the fields of peacekeeping and peacebuilding.

The training of trainers is an approach designed to give individuals the skills and knowledge to implement adult training programmes on a given topic. It incorporates the main ideas of adult education, with its interactivity and learner-centred approach, and melds it with the knowledge to be learned so that those undertaking the programme increase their personal training techniques and acquire the skills and understanding to further train others on that topic.

As underlined by H.E. Mr. Ladkhar Brahimi in his preface to the strategic paper “Enhancing the Capacity of African Peacekeeping and Peacebuilding Training Institutions”, “with this initiative, UNITAR is positioning itself to be uniquely qualified to provide African governments and their national, sub-regional and continental training institutions with the tools they need to proudly acquit themselves of their responsibilities when they take part in peace operations”.

UNITAR PTP’s initiative has been welcomed and encouraged by the Special Committee on Peacekeeping Operations (C34): “The Special Committee welcomes the contribution of the United Nations Institute for Training and Research to peacekeeping training through its “train-the-trainer” programme being implemented in Africa. The programme aims to facilitate the transfer of knowledge and skills to the national and regional training institutions in a sustainable manner, as well as capacity-building. The Special Committee requests that this “train-the-trainers” programme be expanded to other regions, including Asia and Latin America” (A/66/19).

Two additional training of trainers will take place in October and November 2013.